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The Colour of Innovation is Orange
How Orange is winning in West and Central Africa
Managing one's business dealings across a massive geographical area like Africa from a single, regional head office is no mean feat. It takes solid insight into each country's cultural nuances, a good understanding of how mature that country's market forces are and someone heavily focused on the legislative landscape. But, as different as some of the countries on the African continent are (think South Africa and Nigeria), certain constants exist. A case in point, says Claire Paponneau, Director of West and Central African Operations at Orange, is the booming demand for mobile communications and the strong appetite for data services, which make product development a far more predictable process for large, multinational operators. "That said," she continues, "each country has different economic and regulatory environments. "Our aim in all of the African markets we do business in is to get the coverage that is expected by the population and the government, while at the same time remaining profitable." It's a goal that sounds far easier to attain than what it is in reality. All about local relevance Orange's presence in Africa is not exactly something that's recent. And Paponneau says that her company hasn't seen Africa as a territory to conquer, like so many of its peers. "Orange has been active in a number of countries on the African continent since the eighties and nineties. And in every case, it's been a distinct opportunity that's lured us there as opposed to a need to conquer the continent," she explains. Paponneau says Orange's past policy preferred a 'greenfields' environment where it could shape and mould the goto- market strategy and infrastructure before taking any steps into the market. Today, however, some of Orange's most successful ventures have been into markets where they've taken over or merged with existing players. "There's also a misconception around Orange being more successful and comfortable with operations in Frenchspeaking countries, because of the company's clearly French roots," she adds. "The reality is that we have successful operations regardless of the language spoken within the markets we operate. This is because we go to great lengths to understand the market and are committed to the long-term." Strong evidence of this is provided by its investments in entities such as its Africa technology centre, which staffed by a research and product development team from the Ivory Coast and a manager from Senegal. "This centre has worked on and developed a multitude of services and solutions that have been successful on the African continent," Paponneau says. A great example of such a service is Facebook for mobile, which Orange developed and launched in multiple African countries six months ago. "In six short months, the service has already garnered one million customers and is continuing that growth. It's important for us that these services weren't exported from other parts of the world. "They were designed in Africa with local relevance in mind," she says. says that although Orange has a name that's synonymous with mobile telephony throughout the world, it has a convergence strategy at heart that sees it committed to driving new services on the voice and data fronts. Paponneau says Orange is driving voice, data and new services such as mobile banking for the African markets
The growth of broadband
Still speaking to the topic of local relevance, Paponneausays that although Orange has a name that's synonymous with mobile telephony throughout the world, it has a convergence strategy at heart that sees it committed to driving new services on the voice and data fronts. Paponneau says Orange is driving voice, data and new services such as mobile banking for the African markets it operates in. "We see broadband as a key lever for growth in the next years," she adds, "and that's the reason we launch a 3G network wherever possible." "And where we can't have a 3G service, for whatever reason, we do our best to roll out a WiMAX service to ensure that the high-value business segment is addressed with speedy, reliable communications infrastructure." Less visible but nonetheless critical, Paponneau believes, is Orange's involvement with the submarine cables providing backhaul to Africa; and the numerous terrestrial cable projects focused on assisting countries without direct access to the submarine cables to still be provided with cheap international capacity. "We feel it's key for us to assist in developing this connectivity – terrestrial or submarine – since broadband is a key driver and enabler for our customers," she says.
Despite its commitment to providing locally relevant services, driving broadband penetration and the fact that it's the top operator in a number of the countries it operates in (Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast and Madagascar, to name a few), Paponneau says that Africa is a competitive region. "It's difficult to say which countries have the most competitive landscape, since there are some factors that make markets with two to three players competitive and other factors that make markets with upwards of five players difficult to operate in," she says. "If I had to choose, however, I'd say that markets saturated with upwards of five players aren't a good landscape for competition, since there's just insufficient room for all of the players to be profitable while at the same time developing a quality of service that's of a high standard. "The risk is always there that a price war will develop and as we've seen in markets such as Kenya, where a price war happens there are lower costs but also a lower quality of service." "In the beginning," she says, "there's benefit for the consumer and it might seem as if the price war is a good thing. All it does is drive down innovation, which is counter intuitive to what an operator should be doing in any market." On the topic of a 'price floor', which has been suggested for the Kenyan market, Paponneau says it's an interesting suggestion, but not one she feels is achievable. "The price should be linked to the cost and when costs reduce, reductions in price should follow," she says. "It's a good suggestion and we're ready to contribute, but it's something that needs to be carefully worked through. "We already have interconnect costs that have been decided and defined by a regulatory body. If the retail market is also decided upon by a regulator, we will find ourselves in a situation that's not very stable for very long," she says. Paponneau says it's sad when you're part of a market where you can't build value. "For me it's not about where competition exists, but rather where we're stronger for the existence of competition. "Those markets, in my opinion, are the ones where we're able to and encouraged to differentiate on services innovation – like bringing new devices to market before our peers, and launching innovative broadband offerings and services that enrich our customers' lives," she says.
The customer is king
An area that's considered innovative to some and just plain smart business practice to others is the act ofoutsourcing certain elements of the business to effect reductions in operating expenditure. For Orange, Paponneau says this takes on the form of infrastructure sharing, site sharing and outsourcing non-core activities, as this can reduce costs while leaving quality of service unaffected. "We won't do more than that, however," she says, "as we want to remain masters of the customer relationship and quality of service. "Instead we've embarked on a project to outsource internally, forming a single entity that is dedicated to developing and managing all of the value added services platforms across our African operations. "This gives us the dual benefits of being able to reduce the costs of developing and managing value added services platforms in-country, while still being able to provide a guaranteed quality of service and local relevance," she says.
Innovation the way forward
While Paponneau admits that it's difficult to talk about what Orange has in the pipeline when it comes to upcoming services and differentiation, she says it's clear that innovative services are the best way to add value to customers' lives. "We will continue looking at services that are heavily linked to content, such as the 'football fan club' we've launched in more than 10 countries to date." Paponneau says that the service provides users with access to a number of news articles related to African and European football (since a large number of professional African players play the majority of their football in Europe), information on upcoming games, as well as a chat feature for community members. So far, Paponneau says, the service has been very successful and it provides a good blueprint for other contentdriven services. "Orange feels that even though technical innovation is important, innovation that centres on services customers can derive real value from is just as important," she says. And as such, it won't be surprising to see the company centring on services that reside above cost-effective, solid data services – as opposed to focusing on the data services themselves, as so many other telcos do today.


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In recent years, the prices for new cars have risen consistently. The result is that a small class car now sells for the same price as a compact, i.e. top class, model three to four years ago!
We have discussed the reasons for this increase here before, so this time we will look at what the future holds. The forecasts are not the most optimistic!
According to figures put forward by market experts, the price of new vehicles will continue to rise in 2023. According to AlixPartners, a management consultancy, prices are expected to rise significantly in the coming months for several reasons.
Like any commercial sector, the car market depends on supply and demand. With demand currently far outstripping supply, car prices are on the rise. And AlixPartners’ forecasts are not necessarily optimistic.
Based on forecast figures, producers will reduce their production volumes in the coming months. This is, of course, explained by the lack of various components.
The reductions will be quite substantial. It is anticipated that 79 million cars will be sold in 2023, so less than the 80 million in 2021 and much less than the 90 million units sold in 2019, the last year before Covid.
Therefore, this continuing decline in sales volumes puts pressure on the price of new vehicles, which then affects the second-hand car market.
Manufacturers are thus seeing their sales diminished due to production difficulties. Pandemics, wars, shortages of raw materials all have a negative impact on the market and lead to higher prices. As a result, it costs much more to produce a car today than it did two years ago.
But while sales are falling, paradoxically, manufacturers’ margins are rising. AlixPartners says manufacturers will continue to pursue a policy of upward pricing to offset rising costs without affecting their margins.
„The imbalance between supply and demand has allowed the automotive industry to achieve exceptional margins, leading to significant value creation for the sector, which has become much more attractive to investors.”AlixPartners Study
Thus, we find that manufacturers gained 3.6 percentage points of operating margin from higher new car prices.
It is therefore expected that this trend of price increases will be maintained by manufacturers vis-à-vis suppliers and customers. Analysts also believe that prices would stop rising if the economy were to enter a recession.

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Volvo Construction Equipment has appointed Scott Young to serve as vice president uptime and customer support for the Americas sales regions, effective 1 June.
Volvo CE says Young will support North and Latin America teams in developing projects aimed at increasing machine uptime and customer support. He will work with Volvo CE’s dealer network to support the implementation of new technologies and business models.
Young will work from the Pennsylvania-office, reporting to president sales region Americas Stephen Roy.
Roy says: “His extensive experience in the development of innovative solutions that boost efficiency on the job site and promote customer uptime will help us advance our customer support activities in the Americas and enhance our strategy to provide the highest machine uptime in the industry.”
Young was previously Volvo CE’s director of electromobility and automation, where he led programmes to develop these technologies, including those demonstrated in the company’s electric site project as well as the recent announcement on electric compact machines. He has also held roles as electromobility program manager, director of strategy and district business manager.
Young says: “I’m energised to join the Americas team and look forward to helping our customers in North and Latin America maximize uptime to improve their performance and return on investment. With the advancement of new technologies we are in a very exciting time in our industry, and I’m eager to support our dealers to deliver efficiency, profitability and customer satisfaction.”


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Another year, another New Times
Pairings has come and gone. The 2015 installment of the annual foodie event featured over 40 restaurants served up samples of some amazing food, paired with a fine wines, craft spirits, and beer.
Last night, the eighth-annual Pairings took over the Broward Center for the Performing Arts (201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale) from 7 to 10 p.m. with more food, drink, and fun than ever before. As the name implies, Pairings was all about the perfect pour to go with the perfect bite. Andrew Lampasone of boutique wine shop Wine Watch was tasked with curating the perfect selection of beer, wine, and cocktails to go with every single dish at the event. With more than 40 restaurants participating, it was a richly rewarding experience.
Some of our favorite local eateries — as well as some newcomers we're looking forward to trying — were on hand offering signature dishes. Those restaurants include Adena Grill, Cafe Maxx, Crepe Maker, El Agave Taco Bar, El Jefe Luchador, Fork & Balls, French Quarter, Green Spot Kitchen, Hardy Park Bistro, Market 17, S3, Steak 954, SuViche, and YOLO.
The event also featured live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, and appearances by top chefs from Broward and Palm Beach counties, making it an event not to be missed. Best of all, a portion of ticket purchases benefits Voices for Children of Broward, the New Times
' official charity partner of Pairings 2015.
If you weren't able to attend South Florida's favorite foodie event at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts last night, we've got some highlights from the evening right here.
An early glimpse of the menu had us excited to try a number of selections from The Restaurant People's family of restaurants, including S3 and YOLO. Our favorite came from Boatyard, the group's latest waterfront dinging concept set to open next month. The dish of the evening: yellowfin tuna tacos with a mango jicama relish and a drizzling of wasabi cream and sweet chili sauces.
El Agave Azul creators opted to highlight their latest concept, El Agave Taco Bar, located at 2306 East Oakland Park Boulevard. Not yet open, it's billed as a modern, Northern-style Mexican taqueria that promises to take you on a flavor trip directly to Monterrey. Follow them on Facebook
, and sign-up online at Agave-TacoBar.com
to receive a special invite to the restaurant's VIP hour during its upcoming grand opening event.
Stache 1920's Drinking Den in Fort Lauderdale presented a pop-up bar in the VIP lounge where a team of mixologists prepared a number of craft libations including the night's favorite, pictured here. The drink of choice: a blackberry sage Tom Collins, a mix of fresh muddled fruit, gin, lemon juice, sugar, and topped off with a splash of carbonated water.
Although there we so many succulent samples to choose from, the slow-roasted prime rib steak from Adena Grill & Wine Bar was a favorite this year. The mini-sandwiches were made with 100 percent grass-fed/grass-finished beef, and topped with a fresh truffle aioli and frisee salad, and stuffed between the restaurant's own homemade soft rolls.
Last night offered event-goers a rare treat: a taste of the "original" rose wine direct from Saint Tropez, France, now exclusively available stateside in South Florida for the first time in over six decades. Known as Maison Angelvin, the wine has been family-produced in a quaint village nestled against the azure blue of the Mediterranean Sea, an area renown for its sun-drenched beaches and temperate climate. In this paradise, the Angelvin family has been harvesting some of the varietal's finest grapes for decades. These treasured grapes produce a uniquely pale and delicate rosé wine, specific to Provence, and the only type made according to the Angelvin method. These special wines were not available in the US (until now), with sales launching several weeks ago in Miami, Broward, and Palm Beach counties where they can be purchased at select local retailers including Wine Watch in Fort Lauderdale; Wine Wave in Delray Beach; A1A Fine Wine & Spirits in West Palm Beach; and Hamptons in Palm Beach.
For even more photos from last's night's event, check out our slide show of New Times' Eighth Annual Pairings
Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram.


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Amazon sends accidental gift email to shoppers due to glitch
The email displayed an image of a crawling infant and told shoppers they had received a present from their baby registry.
Retailers boost holiday hires in stores to help tackle online sales
As online purchases become a growing percentage of total sales, retailers...
Why Amazon had to delete over 900 online reviews of Hillary Clinton's new book
The move came after publishers felt that the writers did not a...
How Amazon is going deeper into the hinterland with a gambit of unique offline-online blend
As cities getting saturated and same set of consumers being targeted by all etailers in India, Amazon is doing something it hasn't done anywhere else in the world.
Amazon plans $5-billion 2nd headquarters in North America
Amazon is already one of the biggest employers in Seattle and expects the new headquarters to house as many as 50,000 workers, many of them new hires.
Reuters Sports News Summary
BC-SPORTS:Reuters Sports News Summary
Star India injects $192 million into digital content arm
Through a rights issue, Star India infused the money in Novi Digital Entertainment Pvt Ltd, which runs streaming video platform Hotstar and Starsports.com, regulatory filings showed.
Dumpster diving for stocks is a viable strategy in investing
Bond yields refuse to go much higher, despite calls for rising rates for many years.
US CEOs urge Trump to keep DACA ‘Dreamers’ programme
Warren Buffett, as well as General Motors’ Mary Barra, were among the executives who signed the letter, with many issuing separate statements on company websites and social media.
Amazon's Alexa to chat up Microsoft's Cortana
The partnership marks the first time two technology companies have opened up their artificial intelligence-powered virtual aides to each other.
Message startup Slack said to draw interest from Amazon.com
A deal could give San Francisco-based Slack a valuation of at least $9 billion, the people said.
US broadcaster CBS to buy Australia's Ten Network
CBS is wading into an Australian market where broadcasters, and Ten in particular, are cutting costs as losses deepen, with advertisers following viewers to streaming services.
Facebook's 21-year-old wunderkind Michael Sayman leaves for Google
Facebook discovered Sayman, who taught himself to make mobile apps at age 13, because he was using the company’s developer tools for an iPhone application he created.
Trump, in tweet, hits Amazon over taxes, jobs
Trump has repeatedly targeted Amazon, whose CEO Jeff Bezos owns Washington Post, one of several major media outlets that have been swept up in the president's ongoing fight with the press.
User ratings may not be a relaible way to but products online
People tend to use this information in ways that can work to their disadvantage.


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Facebook Fridays Photo Reminds Us of the Beauty of Fall
When the leaves start falling, it’s a sign that the days of dry pavement will soon be coming to an end for a lot of Corvette owners.
However, this week’s Facebook Fridays photo (posted by CJ Liu on the official Corvette FB page) brings that idea to life in a way that just about everyone can appreciate. Although, it’s the things that signal spring is on the horizon that Corvette owners tend to cherish most.
Oh, we know, those of you in places like SoCal are fortunate to have great weather year-round. But most Corvette owners who live in areas like the Great Lakes tend to store their cars December through March.
So, with that in mind, we want to thank CJ Liu for providing us with this breathtaking reminder of why these last few weeks of the year are so treasured by Corvette owners.
Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>


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Posts Tagged ‘China’
China’s military said overseas computer hackers targeted two of its websites 144,000 times a month last year, with two-thirds of the attacks from the U.S.
by Gregory Zeller Published: February 25, 2013
Tags: China, Dilworth & Barrese, Economy, Ford, GM, Long Island Import and Export Association, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Russia, Stony Brook University, U.S.-Russia Business Council, Vietnam
Business opportunities inside the former motherland of anti-capitalism may await the brave American investor, but Russia still floats on a sea of red ink.
Mandiant, which took in some $100 million in business last year is part of a lucrative and exploding market that goes beyond antivirus software and firewalls.
This week’s report by Mandiant Inc. adds to mounting suspicion that Chinese military experts are helping state industry by stealing secrets from Western companies
China has frequently been accused of hacking, but the report by Virginia-based Mandiant Corp. contains some of the most extensive and detailed accusations to date.
Trade data from both governments indicate China passed the United States last year in total imports and exports by a margin of $3.866 trillion to $3.822 trillion.
Estee Lauder’s net income rose 13 percent in its latest quarter as shoppers in the U.S. and emerging markets, particularly China, purchased more of its beauty products.
by Commentary Published: January 24, 2013
Tags: Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations, Bank of East Asia, CA Technologies, China, Chinese investment, Devon, Economy, Finance, foreign investment, GreatPoint, Hofstra, ICBC, New York Islanders, Sinopec, Stony Brook, Wanxiang
Long Island has been sitting on the sidelines and missing out on a tidal wave of Chinese investment in America.
by Raymond Keating Published: December 26, 2012
Tags: business executives, China, communism, Economy, estate tax, General Electric, political ideology, politics, taxation, taxes, The New York Times, Warren Buffett
Biz leaders should be able to grasp basic economic facts.
Apple said Monday that it sold more than 2 million iPhone 5s in China in their first three days of availability, setting a record for that market.


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Author: Jaine Organ
Pictures: Jaine Organ, Bohem Brewery
Beer is important to the UK economy; according to the latest government figures the UK exported 1 billion pints to 121 countries last year, worth £600 million to the economy. Added to that are the 7.75 billion pints consumed within the UK in the same period. So not surprisingly, there is concern about the effects of Brexit on the industry. In this second look at Brexit and beer, we focus on craft breweries and see how they are taking a positive, forward-thinking approach.
The trade associations – SIBA
SIBA, Society of Independent Brewers, has a membership of 825 independent UK craft breweries and was instrumental in campaigning for PBD, Progressive Beer Duty, which came into place in 2002 allowing smaller breweries to pay less tax on their products. They have focused on keeping abreast of government guidelines and providing members with guidance and support. The latest advice on SIBA’s website includes obtaining an EORI, Economic Operator Registration and Identification, ensuring employees are aware of regulations on the right to live and work in the UK and information on labelling and EU contact requirements.
Citizens of Everywhere
The Citizens of Everywhere project, a Pan-European craft beer collaboration pairing 12 UK brewers with 12 European brewers, aims to celebrate the collective achievements of the EU. Giving a positive slant to Theresa May’s “citizens of nowhere” speech, founder Justin Hawke of Moor Beer said: “It’s a bad idea to leave the EU but we don’t want to be political… at the heart of everything, a positive message of working together, collaboration and not wishing to isolate others with different opinions.”
European-focused breweries in London
Beyond collaboration, there are a surprising number of European-focused breweries setting up in London post-referendum. German Kraft, founded in 2017 by Hamburg-born Felix Bollen and his two partners, brews with German hops and malt serving fresh, unfiltered, unpasteurised beer. Brewheadz, in north London, was set up in 2016 by four Italians following a stint of communal flat-sharing and home-brewing.
Bohem Brewery, founded in early 2017 by two Czechs, Zdenek Kudr and Petr Skocek, brews traditional Bohemian-style lagers using Czech ingredients. They’re pulling in great reviews from UK beer fans and have recently expanded employing a brewer, Matěj, from Brevnov Monastery Brewery. We headed for the taproom on Myddleton Road, where the fourth team member Marek Průša demonstrated the traditional Czech pour. A certified Pilsner Urquell tapster with 20 years’ experience, his “Tapster not Hipster” t-shirt clearly spelling out that these guys mean business. And so they should; we tasted a few beers and they were all really good, a favourite was Sparta, an amber lager 5.4% ABV and Druid, a black lager 5.7% ABV, rich and malty.
The craft scene has always had an over-arching vibe of inclusion and collaboration so it’s encouraging that these brewers are taking a risk and sticking with the UK. And great for beer drinkers. We’ll be heading back to Bohem for a glass of foamy delight in the not too distant future.


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Hino 300 Series might be the most loaded light-duty truck in the country today
Foton revives the Harabas name for their latest light commercial vehicle
As the world shifts towards electrification, Isuzu, Hino and Toyota to move forward by building electrified commercial vehicles
NEDA, DOTr want to let more people in PUVs, but that will on depend on IATF-EID's decision
MMDA announces Nagtahan Flyover is off-limits to trucks, trailers starting February 20
Tamogepa welcomes 30 new modern jeepneys care of Hyundai
Cummins will supply engines for Isuzu's mid-sized truck
Batanguenos can now purchase and service Fuso trucks in Lipa City
LTFRB formulating Memorandum Circular that will mandate EDSA Busway units to have doors on the left side
Do you think a standard jeepney can pass the tough MVIS check?
Always stay connected wherever in Pasig with WiFi on wheels
MMDA to reimplement Metro Manila truck ban after 9 months
Isuzu Motors and Volvo are making their "marriage" official, but not yet binding
BFP, Caritas Manila, get a helping hand from Isuzu Philippines Corporation
The 2021 Fuso Rosa is ready to roll out, but when is it coming here?
MG takes some inspiration for the past to show off their future
NLEX completes upgrade of light posts between Balagtas and San Fernando City
It's official: the Honda Jazz will not be offered in the Philippines anymore
Check out the updated 2021 MG RX5 as the Roewe RX5 Plus
Tumi reveals new line of bags and travel items designed in collaboration with McLaren
We're just a few weeks away from the global premiere of Hyundai's first pick-up, the Santa Cruz
Is the facelifted Nissan Terra coming sooner than we think? Photos from Thailand suggest that
The updated Nissan Terra is coming here soon. Here's what we want and expect from it.
It seemed impossible at the time, but Nissan managed to pull off 13 new car launches in less than a year


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For Immediate Release
The Award-Winning Original Series, Hosted by Jill Wagner,
Will Premiere on Friday, August 11th at 7:30PM ET
(Indian Land, SC – April 11, 2017)– Family-entertainment network INSP today announced that the 3rd season of their popular and critically-acclaimed original series, Handcrafted America, will premiere on Friday, August 11th at 7:30PM ET, as part of their “Destination Fridays” programming block. The announcement was made by Doug Butts, SVP of Programming at INSP.
“As we embark upon our third season, we look forward to sharing more stories about incredibly talented artisans creating amazing things by hand,” said Butts. “Thankfully, there is no shortage of those stories to tell. By the end of season three, more than 100 artisans will have been featured on Handcrafted America.”
What the critics have said about Handcrafted America:
“It’s no secret; the rise in popularity of consuming custom, handcrafted goods has grown tremendously in recent years. Americans want work produced by local talented artisans. INSP airs a show that features just that.” – Carolina Style
“The series provides an in-depth look at crafters and artisans across the country, showing how products are made from start to finish.” – Boston Magazine
“Definitely check out Jill’s show Handcrafted America if you’re interested in learning new things.” – Huffington Post
“Handcrafted America is an excellent way to introduce children to the value and beauty of working with one’s hands, to create works both functional and beautiful.” – Parents Television Council (P.T.C.).
In Handcrafted America, Jill Wagner (Christmas in the Smokies, Teen Wolf, Wipeout) travels the country on a quest to find exceptional men and women who make extraordinary items by hand. In every half-hour episode, Jill meets three gifted artisans and gets a behind-the-scenes look at their handiwork, as well as the process of conception and design. Along the way, viewers learn about the history and cultural heritage that inspire and influence each creation.
Handcrafted America is produced by Susie Films.


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MAAP has launched a new website dedicated solely to the UK market, supported by a new local distribution warehouse.
The Melbourne-based clothing brand’s products will now be available to purchase in sterling directly from MAAP for the first time.
Marking its continued expansion and recognition of the UK as a key market, the new warehouse is MAAP’s first physical presence in the country. Serving the UK and Ireland, the UK warehouse will offer a more sustainable logistics solution than fulfilling orders from MAAP’s other European warehouses. It will also save UK customers extra customs charges and offer free returns.
Mitch Wells, Vice President of Operations at MAAP, said: “There has always been a large community of MAAP cyclists in the UK, so for us to be able to leverage that strong presence through the new store and the warehouse is very exciting.
“Not only will they allow us to provide a better customer experience, but they will also help us continue our journey towards maximum sustainability.”
The entire MAAP range will be available on the new online store, including the recently launched Transit collection, a sustainable range of unisex clothing designed for the daily commute.
The four-way stretch provides a full range of motion with no adjustments needed, MAAP said, while reflective details provide extra visibility for city riding.
Lightweight, waterproof, windproof and DWR fabrications provide the “ultimate” warmth-to-weight ratio when the weather turns, while the Roam Jacket’s new Cohaesive hood adjustment system keeps rain at bay while maintaining visibility by pressing a button or two.
Read more: TfL data shows an increase in the proportion of journeys on foot and by bike during the pandemic
MAAP also recently launched the new Pro Bib 2.0, its “most technologically advanced bib shorts to date”. Made with a lightweight 3D aerostructured finish to provide a firm compression fit, the Pro Bib 2.0 is constructed with reshaped ergonomic panels, contoured to move and flow with a moving body.


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TAMPA — Lazydays RV store announced Wednesday it has entered into a three-year marketing partnership with the Florida State Fair Authority to market and brand events at the fairgrounds in Tampa.
The agreement will allow the Seffner-based dealership to add signs at the fairgrounds and display RVs at major events year-round, including equestrian events, boat shows and home shows.
Lazydays chief marketing officer John Lebbad said the partnership will help the company better connect with existing and potential customers.
Lazydays kicks off the partnership as the presenting sponsor of Heroes Day at the Florida State Fair, which opens today. Terms of the agreement were not released.


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Panasonic and Sharp stick to glum forecasts
Japanese electronic giants Sharp and Panasonic both stuck to their dismal forecasts for massive full-year losses, even as results for the latest quarter were boosted by the weak yen.
Panasonic reported a 61.3bn yen ($666m; £421m) net profit for the October-December period, compared with a 197.6bn yen loss a year ago.
Sharp's net loss shrank to 36.7bn yen, from 173.6bn yen a year earlier.
Sharp expects a 450bn-yen annual loss; Panasonic a 765bn-yen full-year loss.
'No material uncertainty'
Sharp said sales of LCD TVs "fell drastically" on a year ago, mainly as a result of "sluggish demand in Japan and a sales decline in China, owing to worsening Japan-China relations".
Japan and China are currently involved in a territorial dispute over ownership of an East China Sea island chain, with the row sparking a Chinese boycott of some Japanese goods.
However, its overall quarterly sales rose 15% on a year ago to 678.2bn yen.
Sharp has announced thousands of job cuts as it seeks to turn around the business, and the company insisted that the corporate overhaul would save it from going under.
It said its troubles "will not cast a material uncertainty about Sharp's ability to continue as a going concern".
Panasonic, meanwhile, has been hit by strong competition from rivals, including US manufacturer Apple and South Korea's Samsung.
Sales in the last quarter fell 8% on the year to 1.8 trillion yen.
The company said global demand for flat-panel TVs and digital devices had weakened, though sales of LED lighting and in-car equipment had grown.


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Through most of 2021, the semiconductor chip shortage has driven both new and used vehicle prices to new record highs with each passing month, with new car transaction prices reaching the $45,000 mark for the first time ever in October. However, sales have begun to decline in recent months, spurred by these record-high prices and low inventory levels. Now, new data from Cox Automotive shows that used car inventory is improving, though prices continue to rise.
Unsold used car inventory in the U.S. reached a total of 2.3 million units at the end of September, which was slightly higher than the 2.27 million vehicles available at the conclusion of August. Regardless, inventory still remains low, as September’s number represents a 3 percent decrease from the same time period last year.
In the meantime, days supply improved as well, reaching 43 last month compared to just 38 in August, and is now just one percent lower than last year. This number was buoyed by a noticeable drop in sales, as 1.61 million used vehicles were sold last month compared to 1.77 million in August. The most desirable used vehicles in September were those priced at under $10,000, which had the lowest days’ supply of 33, while the least desirable were vehicles priced at $25,000-$30,000, which had a days’ supply of 45, and vehicles priced above $35,000 had the highest days’ supply of 50.
Despite these trends, used vehicle prices continue to rise and reached a new record high of $26,646 in September after surpassing the $20,000 mark for the first time in August. That figure is a whopping 25 percent higher than one year ago, though not unsurprisingly given the fact that the increase in used vehicle prices has accelerated rapidly for months now.


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"We are targeting consumers who are willing to experiment"
It was in 2000 that Havells India acquired switchgear maker, Standard for Rs 1.2 billion. In the last few years, it has been repositioned as a value-for-money brand, targeted at first-time home buyers
"RPO's must be made mandatory"
"The enunciation of the new Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy is a reaffirmation of the federal government's commitment to support new and emerging technologies," tells Vikram Kailas, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Mytrah Energy India Pvt Ltd in an exclusive interaction with POWER TODAY.
To avoid supply-demand mismatch, grid enhancement needs planning
Growth in storage solutions like batteries will facilitate 50 per cent of the global electricity supply from wind and solar by 2050,' predicts Shantanu Jaiswal, Head of India Research, Bloomberg NEF and one of the authors of New Energy Outlook (NEO) 2018 report.
Made in India: Havells Looks Beyond Electricals
More than a year after it acquired the consumer durables business of Lloyd Electric & Engineering, Havells has firmed up plans to expand its horizons. POWER TODAY takes an overview of the strategy of one of the country's leading electricals players in also becoming a big boy of electronics.
Consumer Durables, Havells, Lloyd Electric, Engineering, Electricals, HBC, Bombay Stock Exchange, Switchgear, Cables, Lighting, MSME, Sylvania Lighting International, Anil Rai Gupta, IBEF, Samsung
Power Today Person of the Year
Energy efficiency has been on the agenda of governments and industry across the world over the last several decades. But it was after Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director, Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) developed a business proposition out of the idea that energy efficiency has got a shot in the arm.
Energy, Saurabh Kumar, EESL, LED Lighting, Pratap Padode, Manish Pant, LED Street Lights, Buildings Programme, Electricity Meters, Cooling Systems, E-Vehicles, Solar Panels
EESL, the biggest 'Make in India' story by far
Saurabh Kumar's eyes light up the moment one starts talking to him about his favourite passion, energy efficiency. An Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the 1992 batch, Kumar took charge as Managing Director at the Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) in May 2013.
Saurabh Kumar, Indian Revenue Service, EESL, Manish Pant, UJALA, Affordable Leds, Appliances, Discoms, LED Bulb, Cyclone Hudhud, Solar Rooftop, Solar Pumps, Steven Chu, UNEP
We are in advanced talks with L&T, Praj and Biocon for partnerships
We opened a company called Boccard India in September. The opportunity came about when we took over the operations of Areva Bioenergy in Chennai. That gave us the means to enter the market. We have been present in the India through services and products from our companies such as the Belgium-based Meura, a leading player in the beer industry.


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silentbrad writes in with a story about a Sony patent that would block the playing of second-hand games. "... the patent application was filed on 9 December 2012 by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, and will work by linking individual game discs to a user's account without requiring a network connection meaning any future attempt to use this disc on another user's console won't work. The patent explains that games will come with contactless tags that will be read by your console in much the same way as modern bank cards. When a disc is first used, the disc ID and player ID will be stored on the tag. Every time the disc is used in future, the tag will check if the two ID's match up and, if not, then the disc won't work. The document goes on to explain that such a device is part of Sony's ongoing efforts to deter second-hand games sales, and is a far simpler solution than always-on DRM or passwords. It's worth noting that Sony has not confirmed the existence of the device, and the patent doesn't state what machine it will be used in, with later paragraphs also mentioning accessories and peripherals. ... There's also the issue of what happens should your console break and need replacing, or if you have more than one console. Will the games be linked to your PSN account, meaning they can still be used, or the console, meaning an entire new library of titles would need to be purchased?"
Have you META-MODERATED today? Sign up for the Slashdot Daily Newsletter! DEAL: For $25 - Add A Second Phone Number To Your Smartphone for life! Use promo code SLASHDOT25. ×
An anonymous reader writes a court has dismissed Apple's allegations that Amazon's use of the "app store" phrase constituted false advertising. "Apple's efforts to protect its intellectual property sometimes result in lawsuits that leave even the most ardent of Apple fans scratching their heads. One such suit was Apple's March 2011 lawsuit against Amazon over the retailer's use of the phrase 'app store' as used in its Amazon Appstore for Android. "
linuxwrangler writes "Two teens are behind bars after hatching a plan that involved drugging milkshakes they gave to the parents of one of the kids. The parents were suspicious after waking groggy the next day, and used a home drug-test on one of the remaining drinks. The teens came up with the plan in order to avoid their 10pm Internet curfew."
Hugh Pickens writes "Facing a $10 billion revenue shortfall for transportation financing, the Oregon Legislature is expected to consider a bill to require drivers with a vehicle getting at least 55 miles per gallon of gasoline to pay a per-mile tax after 2015 to offset the loss in tax revenue for fuel efficient cars at the gas pump, where the government has traditionally collected money to build and fix roads. Oregonians currently pay 30 cents per gallon, a tax that is automatically added at the pump, but as cars become more fuel efficient and alternative fuel sources are identified, state officials project gas tax revenue will decline. 'Everybody uses the road, and if some pay and some don't, then that's an unfair situation that's got to be resolved,' says Jim Whitty of the Department of Transportation. Opponents of the Oregon proposal say it will hurt a new industry. 'It will be one more obstacle that the industry and auto dealers will face in convincing consumers to buy these new cars,' says Paul Cosgrove, a lobbyist for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. Other states, such as Nevada and Washington, are also looking at a per-mile charge and a Washington law that would charge electric car owners an annual fee goes into effect in February. Oregon did a pilot study of the mileage tax (PDF) where participants paid 1.56 cents per mile and got a credit for any gasoline tax they paid at the pump. Although initial media portrayals of the system were almost uniformly negative, 91% of test participants preferred the mileage tax to paying gas taxes."
Bobfrankly1 writes "Robert Stuart and his company Extensions Software are being charged by New York authorities, claiming he is promoting gambling in New York because of the actions of his clients. They are charging him after he rejected a plea agreement that would have him plead guilty to lesser charges, adding backdoors to his software, and using said backdoors to gather details on his clients and their customers." Another article on the case at Salon.
itwbennett writes "According to an ITworld report, 'Google has agreed to change some of its business practices, including allowing competitors access to some standardized technologies, to resolve a U.S. Federal Trade Commission antitrust complaint against the company.' This includes 'allow[ing] competitors access to standards-essential patents the company acquired along with its purchase of Motorola Mobility.' Also among the business practices Google has agreed to stop is 'scraping Web content from rivals and allegedly passing it off as its own, said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz.'" SlashCloud has some more details, including links to the agreement itself and Google's soft-pedaling description of "voluntary product changes."
Frequent contributor Bennett Haselton writes this week with his explanation of how an improved algorithm on the White House's petition-creation site could do away with Death Star petitions and even improve on the existing serious ones. Read on below for his modest proposal on that front.
cathyreisenwitz writes "The 2012 bankruptcy of Rhode Island-based video-game developer 38 Studios isn't just a sad tale of a start-up tech company falling victim to the vagaries of a rough economy. It is a completely predictable story of crony capitalism, featuring star-struck legislators and the hubris of a larger-than-life athlete completely unprepared to compete in business." Reason makes no bones about its view of this kind of public-private "partnership."
DavidGilbert99 writes with this excerpt from IB Times: "The Sandy Hook shooting once again raised the debate about how much power violent videogames wield over teenagers. Following proclamations from the National Rifle Association and the establishment of a study by the National Academy of Sciences to investigate the psychological effects of violent games on children, a group in Connecticut is now having its say Southington, a town 30 miles from where the shooting took place, is offering gift tokens in exchange for violent videogames, as well as other violent media such as DVDs or videos. The group, called SouthingtonSOS, said in a statement: 'There is ample evidence that violent video games, along with violent media of all kinds, including TV and movies portraying story after story showing a continuous stream of violence and killing, has contributed to increasing aggressiveness, fear, anxiety and is desensitizing our children to acts of violence including bullying.'" And Yes, they plan to destroy the traded-in games. (Note: Beware the obnoxious auto-playing video ad with sound; adjust volume accordingly.)
Curseyoukhan writes "Infosec vendor IID (Internet Identity) probably hopes that by the time 2014 rolls around no one will remember the prediction it just made. That is the year it says we will see the first murder via internet connected device. The ability to do this has been around for quite some time but the company won't say why it hasn't happened yet. Probably because that would have screwed up their fear marketing. CIO blogger challenges them to a $10K bet over their claim."
inode_buddha writes "Not long ago we ran a story about how a NY newspaper published lists of gun owners. Now, it seems the same newspaper has hired armed guards in response to unspecified threats to the editor, amid 'large volumes of negative response.' From the article: 'The editor, Caryn McBride, told police the newspaper hired a private security company whose "employees are armed and will be on site during business hours," the report said. The guards are protecting the newspaper's staff and Rockland County offices in West Nyack, New York.'"
New submitter earlzdotnet writes "A new patent troll is in town, this time targeting the users of technology, rather than the creators. They appear to hold a process patent for 'scanning a document and then emailing it.' They are targeting small businesses in a variety of locations and usually want somewhere between $900 to $1200 per employee for 'infringement' of their patent. As with most patent trolls, they go by a number of shell companies, but the original company name appears to be Project Paperless LLC. Joel Spolsky said in a tweet that 'This is organized crime, plain and simple...' I tend to agree with him. When will something be done about this legal mafia?"
jfruh writes "Those Nigerian spam scams of the last decade may have just been the first step in a looming African cyber-crime wave. Africa has the world's fastest-growing middle class, whose members are increasingly tech-savvy and Internet connected — and the combination of ambitious, educated people, a ceiling on advancement due to corruption and lack of infrastructure, and lax law enforcement is a perfect petri dish for increased cybercrime."
An anonymous reader sends word that the Russian Space industry will be getting a big boost over the next eight years. Prime Minister Medvedev has approved $68.71 billion in space-related funding from 2013 to 2020. That's a huge increase from the $3.3 billion spent annually in 2010 and 2011. The increased funding is one of several efforts to restoring Russia's slowly fading spaceflight capabilities. "The failure of a workhorse Proton rocket after launch in August caused the multimillion-dollar loss of an Indonesian and a Russian satellite. A similar problem caused the loss of a $265 million communications satellite last year. Medvedev criticized the state of the industry in August, saying problems were costing Russia prestige and money." Medvedev said, "The program will enable our country to effectively participate in forward-looking projects, such as the International Space Station, the study of the Moon, Mars and other celestial bodies in the solar system."
dgharmon sends this news from the Atlantic Wire: "After a years-long legal battle, federal prosecutors in Belgium now believe their investigation is complete enough to charge the Church of Scientology and its leaders as a criminal organization on charges of extortion, fraud, privacy breaches, and the illegal practice of medicine. ... Multiple reports and the group's legal history point to one key factor here: The Belgian government won't charge Scientology for being a cult — authorities are focusing on prosecuting it as a criminal organization. Which is a new twist, as most of the group's many court battles over the years have focused on establishing its legitimacy as a religion. ... The Church of Scientology houses its European headquarters in Brussels, so a ban in Belgium could be crippling to the group — and authorities there seem to know it."
EagleHasLanded writes "The U.S. Metric Association has been advocating for metrication since 1916 – without much success. In the mid-1970s, the U.S. government passed the Metric Conversion Act, but now it seems the time for complete conversion has come and gone. Or could U.S. educators and health & safety advocates put this issue back on Congress' radar screen?"
jrepin writes "While the UK has seen the light, the EU has actually gone backwards on open standards in recent times. The original European Interoperability Framework required royalty-free licensing, but what was doubtless a pretty intense wave of lobbying in Brussels overturned that, and EIF v2 ended up pushing FRAND, which effectively locks out open source — the whole point of the exercise. Shamefully, some parts of the European Commission are still attacking open source."
SternisheFan writes with this excerpt from CNET: "Installous, a major portal for pirated paid apps from Apple's App Store, won't be around anymore. Development team Hackulous today announced the closure of Installous on their official Web site. As of today, the pirated app store no longer works, and only shows these errors: 'Outdated version. Installous will now terminate' or 'API Error. API unavailable.' For many years, Installous offered complete access to thousands of paid iOS apps for free for anyone with a jailbroken iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Think of it as being able to walk into a fancy department store, steal anything you want, and never get caught."
ezabi writes "After announcing a 43 million USD license agreement with Microsoft, the Egyptian government was faced with a protest from FOSS enthusiasts staging a protest before the cabinet. Later, representatives from the community had a meeting with the minister of communications and information technology. Such a meeting led to the ministry issuing a press release (in Arabic) stating its commitment to gradually move to open source (Google Translate to English) as a strategic option for future projects. It's worth mentioning that all governmental websites used in the elections and constitution referendum were all based on open source solutions."
First time accepted submitter cathyreisenwitz writes "The New York Times' Bits blog has a great piece on the FAA's inconvenient, outdated and unhelpful rules regarding electronic devices on planes: 'Dealing with the F.A.A. on this topic is like arguing with a stubborn teenager. The agency has no proof that electronic devices can harm a plane's avionics, but it still perpetuates such claims, spreading irrational fear among millions of fliers.' The rules illustrate why we shouldn't let the government regulate the internet: Government regulations are nearly always outdated and too cautious."


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There's no solid evidence that organic foods are healthier than those produced conventionally, according to a review of several studies.
Although no long-term trials have looked at the differences in health outcomes for people who eat a largely organic diet versus a conventional one, the few small trials that have examined clinical outcomes found no differences in allergic outcomes or food poisoning, according to Crystal Smith-Spangler, MD, of Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., and colleagues.
"Despite the widespread perception that organically produced foods are more nutritious than conventional alternatives, we did not find robust evidence to support this perception," they wrote in the Annals of Internal Medicine online.
Organic foods may, however, expose patients to fewer pesticide residues and fewer antibiotic-resistant bacteria, they noted.
Between 1997 and 2010, sales of organic foods in the U.S. rose from $3.6 billion to $26.7 billion, and consumers can pay up to twice as much for organically produced foods.
Organic certification requirements and farming practices vary widely, but some requirements for organic foods and livestock are:
- Grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers
- Processed without irradiation or chemical food additives
- Not grown from genetically modifed organisms
- No antibiotics or growth hormones
- Organically produced, pesticide-free animal feed
To assess whether folks are gaining any health advantages for their additional expenses, Smith-Spangler and colleagues reviewed 17 studies in humans and 223 studies of nutrient and contaminant levels in foods that were conducted between January 1966 and May 2011.
Among the three human studies that assessed clinical outcomes, the researchers saw no significant differences in allergies including eczema, wheeze, and atopic sensitization, or in food poisoning as defined by symptomatic Campylobacter infection.
Nor did any of the nutrient studies find any clinically meaningful differences between organic and conventional foods in terms of levels in serum, urine, breast milk, or semen, they reported.
Only phosphorus levels were significantly higher in organic produce, but the difference isn't likely to have clinical significance because "near-total starvation is needed to produce dietary phosphorus deficiency," they wrote.
The researchers also found an overall 30% higher risk for contamination with pesticide residues in conventional products compared with organic ones, and two studies reported lower urinary pesticide levels among children on organic diets.
Yet the clinical significance of the finding again was unclear because the difference in risk for contamination with residues that exceeded maximum allowed limits was small, they reported.
People on organic and conventional diets are at about the same risk for food poisoning, the researchers said, with equal contamination by Salmonella and Campylobacter species seen in both types of food.
But conventionally produced pork and chicken does appear to carry a 33% higher risk for bacteria that's resistant to 3 or more types of antibiotics, they noted.
That may be related to the routine use of antibiotics in conventional animal farming, they said. Still, they cautioned that "the extent to which antibiotic use for livestock contributes to antibiotic-resistant pathogens in humans continues to be debated because inappropriate use of antibiotics in humans is the major cause of antibiotic-resistant infections in humans."
Smith-Spangler and colleagues warned that there have been no long-term studies of health outcomes among patients who eat a predominantly organic diet versus one full of conventionally produced foods.
Their review was also limited because the included studies were heterogeneous and susceptible to publication bias, they added.
Still, they concluded that the evidence "does not suggest marked health benefits from consuming organic versus conventional foods, although organic produce may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and organic chicken and pork may reduce exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria."
The researchers reported no conflicts of interest.
- Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner
Annals of Internal MedicineSource Reference: Smith-Spangler C, et al "Are organic foods safer or healthier than conventional alternatives?" Ann Intern Med 2012; 157: 348-366.


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Xiaomi have confirmed that Xiaoi Mi Max has managed to sell more than 3 million units since it was launched.
Xiaomi Mi Max was launched in May last year and it sold 1.5 units in the first two months. Xiaomi have launched its successor; Mi Max 2 was launched yesterday. This figure comes from Xiaomi CEO himself, Lei Jun during the launch of Mi Max 2 yesteday.
Xiaomi Mi Max 2 wil be expected to received many responses as the battery is its mot selling point.


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An Indian-origin couple based in London have launched a worldwide allergy awareness drive in memory of their nine-year-old daughter who died of a... ...http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/british-indian-couple-launch-awareness-drive-in-memory-of-117102200100_1.html
This week Xiaomi launched the Mi MIX 2 smartphone in India, BlackBerry introduced Motion, a mid-range Android smartphone, Samsung launched the... ...http://www.fonearena.com/blog/232131/weekly-roundup-xiaomi-mi-mix-2-honor-7x-blackberry-motion-samsung-galaxy-tab-a-2017-and-more.html
BlackBerry Limited on Tuesday announced that it has added six new partners in India, furthering the company's commitment to establishing and... ...http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/blackberry-expands-ecosystem-pursues-six-new-partnerships-in-india-117100300458_1.html
Fri, Sep 29 2017 12:28:20 PM San Francisco, Sep 29 (IANS): BlackBerry has made a comeback as a software solutions company focused on security under... ...http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=474268
Get ready to buy your favourite products this festive season as ecommerce players are gearing up to roll out their flagship online sales campaigns... ...http://www.deccanherald.com/content/632922/e-commerce-firms-roll-mega.html
ARc Infotech solves every query in...
If you are a corporate user then you...
Arc Infotech, your one-stop best and...
BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 reviews,...


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Eye-opening scenes from the "age of facial recognition," in The Economist's cover editorial:
- "In America facial recognition is used by churches to track worshippers' attendance; in Britain, by retailers to spot past shoplifters. This year Welsh police used it to arrest a suspect outside a football game. In China it verifies the identities of ride-hailing drivers, permits tourists to enter attractions and lets people pay for things with a smile. Apple's new iPhone is expected to use it to unlock the homescreen."
- "One big difference between faces and other biometric data, such as fingerprints, is that they work at a distance. Anyone with a phone can take a picture for facial-recognition programs to use. FindFace, an app in Russia, compares snaps of strangers with pictures on VKontakte, a social network, and can identify people with a 70% accuracy rate."


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Samsung has confirmed that they plan on launching their Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus smartphones at the Mobile World Congress event later this month. Even though the South Korean technology hasn’t provided any information regarding what might arrive in the line-up, thanks to the numerous leaks and speculations – we already know a great deal about the upcoming handsets.
Now, a new report suggests that the firm was apparently working on an exciting new design that featured smaller bezels above and below the device’s display. The handsets would feature a different level of screen-to-body ratio, which naturally excited all the Android fans. However, Samsung apparently decided to cancel the design. The chances are that they might launch it sometime later next year.
The report by BGR states that the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus line-up is expected to pack the most powerful processor ever witnessed on any Android device. Most of the signs point to new cameras that are said to be equally impressive. Moreover, a new Reddit user that goes by the name of ‘Wan997’ claims to have worked in the retail sector for Samsung. He says that Samsung has incentives available for its latest phones at launch.
He went ahead to share some thoughts about the Samsung devices. “I’ve used the S8+/Note 8 for quite awhile now, and I have to say that the S9 is NOT worth upgrading to,” Wan997 wrote. “The phone is very similar to the S8, and while the new features are promising, they don’t justify spending more money to get. If anything, I’d say wait for the S10 earliest. The S9 from a general perspective has the same footprint as the S8 (same 5’8, 6’2 screen sizes).”
However, experts widely believe that Samsung’s massive marketing budget and Galaxy S9’s impressive cameras and performance will ensure a certain level of success for it.


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Medingo’s new president and CEO to set up US operations
This article was originally published in Clinica
Medingo (Yoqneam, Israel), a company that is about to launch its first product – an innovative insulin dispenser in the form of a skin patch plus remote control to direct levels of insulin delivered – has made Pete Wehrly president and CEO. He will also lead the setting up of operations in the US, replacing Ofer Yodfat in that role. Dr Yodfat will continue as general manager of Medingo Israel. Mr Wehrly is a veteran Medtronic executive with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry. Before joining the company, he was senior vice-president and president of Medtronic’s spinal and biologics division. The company has also appointed Kim Stebbings as vice-president of marketing. Ms Stebbings joins from Florida-based Anodyne Therapy (infrared light therapy) where she was vice-president of sales and marketing. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a medical technology sales and marketing executive.


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- Bank of America believes the US economy has fallen into a recession amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Thursday note.
- The bank said US GDP would collapse in the second quarter, falling 12% on a seasonally adjusted annual rate basis, which would be the biggest quarterly postwar decline.
- "The salvation will come if there is a targeted and aggressive policy response to offset the loss of economic activity and ensure a sound financial system," economists led by Michelle Meyer wrote.
- Read more on Business Insider.
The coronavirus pandemic has closed schools, restaurants, and factories as the US rushes to curb the spread of COVID-19, the illness the virus causes. The shock has also pushed the US economy into a recession, economists from Bank of America said.
"We believe that the US economy has fallen into recession, joining the rest of the world, and it is a deep plunge," economists led by Michelle Meyer wrote in a Thursday note.
The economists forecast that US gross domestic product would collapse in the second quarter, falling 12% on a seasonally adjusted annual rate basis — the biggest quarterly postwar decline — after growing by only 0.5% in the first quarter. For the full year, the bank is forecasting a contraction of 0.8%.
Markets have also been roiled by the coronavirus pandemic, ending the longest bull market in history. Bank of America's recession forecast came as a growing number of industry watchers warn that there is likely to be severe damage to the US economy as the outbreak slows consumer activity and dampens confidence.
"Jobs will be lost, wealth will be destroyed and confidence depressed," Meyer said. "The salvation will come if there is a targeted and aggressive policy response to offset the loss of economic activity and ensure a sound financial system."
Read more: 'We have not had a single loser': An investment chief who's earned up to 90% per trade during the coronavirus crash breaks down his strategy — and explains why it will profit through the election
Bank of America expects that about 3.5 million jobs will be lost, with the biggest hit of 1 million per month in the second quarter. That would nearly double the unemployment rate, to 6.3%, the bank said.
Industries such as leisure, hospitality, and retail are likely to be hit the hardest, as they have the largest shares of hourly workers who struggle to work from home, the note said.
Going forward, economists at the bank will be watching high-frequency indicators such as their own consumer data, OpenTable reservations, traffic, school closures, transit data, manufacturing surveys, and early labor-market indicators, the note said.
Bank of America expects that the economy will return to growth in the third quarter. But the size and speed of a second-half recovery depend on the policy response, the note said.
"There should be no upper bound for the size of stimulus, in our view," Meyer wrote. While the Federal Reserve has focused on restoring liquidity to the financial system, the federal government should focus on the liquidity crunch in the real economy, she added.
The Fed's emergency actions have been aggressive — slashing rates to near zero, relaunching quantitative easing, and using other tools from the 2008 crisis. The White House is working on major stimulus, but "time is of the essence," Meyer said.
On Wednesday, Trump signed an emergency coronavirus package with paid sick leave for some workers, but the White House is pushing for an additional $1 trillion to help aid the economy.
"The policy response will determine whether this deep recession in 2Q persists or proves fleeting," Meyer said. "Washington — all eyes are on you."


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The Irish Daily Mail is giving retailers a chance to win one of four €250 prizes.
To be in with a chance of winning €250, retailers must place the POS materials provided and ensure the Irish Daily Mail is in a prominent position in your store. Take a photo of the POS material and the displayed copies of the Irish Daily Mail and then send the photo and your details (including your EM News account number) to email@example.com.
This competition is being held to promote the Irish Daily Mail and its “SEIZE THE DAY. EVERY DAY.” Campaign.
Retailers will be provided with a retail pack that contains all the necessary POS material, including a shelf strip and a till wobbler. Ensure this POS material is displayed prominently to better your chances of winning.
This promotion will run from Monday, February 28 until March 31.


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After two years of tests in Milwaukee, U.S. Cellular Corp. is preparing to roll out its version of so-called third-generation cell phone service this summer to subscribers in other markets hungry for wider bandwidth to accommodate text messages and other data-rich applications.
Taxes take bite at U.S. Cellular
At the May 20 annual meeting, U.S. Cellular President and CEO John E. Rooney announced that the company's 3G service dubbed Evolution Data Optimized technology and available in 2007 to less than 5% of its subscribers would reach one-third by yearend, with a broader rollout likely next year. The company serves markets around the Midwest.
"Smart-phone users will notice their phones will work better," Mr. Rooney said. "We hope it will give a boost to our data business."
Data is U.S. Cellular's fastest-growing service. In the first quarter, the company's regular voice business saw revenue rise 12% to $962.1 million. But data revenue zoomed almost 50% to $115.7 million. In 2007, voice was up 15% to $3.68 billion, while data leapfrogged 69% to $367.6 million.
Analysts forecast that data revenue which carries rich profit margins will stay on a high trajectory of growth.
"Cellular phone growth rates in the U.S. have been slowing overall lately," said David Weissman, an analyst with Zacks Investment Research in Chicago. "With 3G, U.S. Cellular can add more services and yield more impact per subscriber."
How much impact? Mr. Weissman calculates that 3G will increase U.S. Cellular's average monthly customer bill, which stood at $52.06 in the first quarter, between $5 and $10. Not all of that increase will translate into profit, he admits, for the company will have to subsidize advanced handsets for many customers and also pay for Internet connectivity. "It's hard to plug this into earnings forecasts, but there will be some decent profits from this," Mr. Weissman said.
In the first quarter, overall sales rose 11% to $1.04 billion. Earnings, hit by higher income taxes, were down 5% to $70.6 million, or 80 cents per diluted share.
In 2007, revenue increased 14% to $3.95 billion. Earnings rose 75% to $314.7 million, or $3.56 a share. Mr. Weissman notes that the company's earnings have grown at a 23% clip annually over the past five years.


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ThinkAnalytics brings on ARRIS vet for business development
Michelle Clancy | 25-02-2014
ThinkAnalytics, the multi-platform TV search and recommendations engine, has appointed Rich Soucie as vice president of business development.
He will be responsible for leading the company's strategic partnerships and key accounts and will also spearhead the opening of a new office in Silicon Valley.
"Rich has an impeccable record of accomplishment opening new sales channels in this industry, with an in-depth understanding of legacy and next-gen TV systems," said Eddie Young, chairman at ThinkAnalytics. "At a time of significant growth and opportunities domestically and internationally, we look forward to leveraging Rich's expertise to further expand the deployment of intelligent navigation and personalised recommendations, which have a profound impact on operator business results, and increase subscription value."
Soucie has 20 years of product management, marketing and business development experience, most recently at ARRIS, where he served as director of global telecom operations on assignment at Google. Prior to ARRIS, he was responsible for customer operations, integration programs and strategic technology partnerships at Comcast (via the cable MSO's Radiance Technologies acquisition).
Before that, Soucie was director of product management at Alopa Networks, which was later sold to C-COR, where he was responsible for the strategic planning and direction of Alopa's multi-service broadband provisioning and management products. Earlier in his career, he held various senior product management roles for P-Cube, Copper Mountain Networks, Nortel and others.


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More than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic officially began in the United States, its impact on consumers and the retail industry has emerged.
A focus on health, at-home moments, comfort and indulgence, e-commerce and value are the five major themes that have largely defined pandemic-era consumer behavior, according to The Coco-Cola Co.’s Coca-Cola Refreshing Insights: The State of the Consumer, Retail & FSOP report. The report is based on aggregated insights from various studies.
Here are the five major trends in Coco-Cola report.
1.Focus on Health: As the pandemic continued to evolve in 2020, so did consumers’ opinions regarding their health and the corresponding impact on their purchasing behavior
In March 2020, 42% of consumers disagreed with the following statement: “Even if I end up getting COVID-19, I won’t worry because I am very healthy.” In October 2020, the number had increased to 66% of consumers.
Consumers began looking to hygiene to protect their health, which impacted purchasing behavior — especially when it came to food. According to the report, purchase consideration rises when retailers and restaurants enact specific safety measures to protect consumers, These include:
Pre-wrapped items – 40%;
Clean and well-maintained food and beverage areas – 38% ;
Disinfecting wipes made available – 37%;
Minimize touching handles and other surfaces – 33%;
Products behind a transparent barrier – 29%; and
Items served by an employee – 21%.
The report notes that as long as the pandemic remains — and likely even after— hygiene as a safety concern will continue to shape consumer behavior.
“To meet the needs of this new consumer, foodservice and retail leaders must put “clean” at the heart of the dining and shopping experience through cues like smell, sound and enhanced visuals,” said Diana Retter, senior manager, shopper & commercial insights, North America operating unit, The Coca-Cola Company.
2.At Home Moments: For many consumers, home became a hub to live, work and play in the past year. The related consumer trends expected to remain long-term include:
Work from home:17% of consumers expect they will never resume working in an office;
Meals at home:55% of adults want to prepare meals at home instead of eating at restaurants even after COVID-19 is not a factor;
Exercising at home: 213% increase in sales of exercise and fitness equipment;
Home improvement: 42% of consumers are currently doing or planning to do a home improvement project; and
Focus on community: 49% of consumers stated they are buying from local businesses more than normal as a result of the coronavirus and 32% said they are more likely to choose a local/independent restaurant
3.Comfort and Indulgence: Indulgence has become a social norm — and also a perceived necessity as a way to cope and/or escape. Sixty-percent of consumers are currently buying/interested in buying self-care items, and 56% are currently buying/interested in buying special treats for themselves or family members.
In addition, consumers have looked to food as a means to indulge and seek comfort throughout the pandemic. This has caused an increase in sales across a number of categories, including:
Snack foods (39%);
Ready-to-eat meals (30%);
Soft drinks (27%); and 27% more soft drinks
4. Digital Commerce: E-commerce moved from a convenience in 2020 to a norm, with many first-time users. Sixty-eight percent of consumers ordered groceries online for home delivery during the pandemic and 18% reported buying at least half of their groceries online, up from 8% in 2019.
Survey data shows that this trend will continue even in post-pandemic life, with 90% consumers saying they will continue to buy food online once the pandemic is over.
5. Value Redefined: The pandemic and its resulting economic pressures and other events of 2020 brought on an increase of mindful spending, supporting impacted workers and social justice issues


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Greenpeace claims Nestle, Unilever and Procter & Gamble are all contributing to the destruction of precious Indonesian peat swamp forests through palm oil deployment
Several of the UK's most popular brands have today been accused of contributing to the destruction of the Indonesian rainforest through their purchase of palm oil from suppliers engaged in the illegal...
Richer countries import products but not the emissions used to make them
Bolstered by batteries, the Barnet system will be powered solely by solar panels on people's roofs
Now is the time for the construction sector to invest in science and research, argues BRE's director of sustainability Martin Townsend
Chancellor claims new government—funded body will help make the UK a world leader in sustainable finance


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The People’s Committee of the
Central Highlands Province of Lam Dong has planned for the 7th Da Lat Flower
As per the province’s plan, the
festival will take place from 23rd to 27th December 2017. Accordingly, the
event will be held at the province’s localities and neighboring localities.
Under the plan, the festival will spend an estimated of over VND 18.4 billion.
During the five day festival, 15
main programs will be launched including fashion show, Ao Dai fashion week, art
performances, fresh vegetable fair and “Silk-Tea” night…
The province also encourages and
calls for enterprises, individuals across the country to join in the festival’s
events, aiming to promote Vietnamese agricultural products and tourism to
foreign and domestic tourists and attract businesses to invest in the area.


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Apple has unveiled the iPhone 5 at a press conference in San Francisco, showing off a taller, slimmer device with a metal back and increased battery life capable of harnessing 4G LTE that will be shipped in the UK on September 21.
Apple’s latest iPhone was introduced by company senior vice president of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller, who said of the handset:
‘It is an absolute jewel. It is the most beautiful product we have ever made, bar none.
‘I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the hardware and software engineering that has gone into this product is unlike anything we’ve ever undertaken before.’
Pre-orders for the eagerly-anticipated iPhone 5 will open on Friday September 14, shipping on September 21 in the UK, US, Canada, Germany, France, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Going on to discuss the specifications of the new device, Schiller said: ‘It is made entirely of glass and aluminum.
‘It’s designed and built to an exacting level of standard unlike anything we, or anyone in our industry, have made before.’
He told press it is the world’s thinnest smartphone with a depth of just 7.6mm and that it weighs 112 grams, making it 20 per cent lighter than the 4S.
Schiller also revealed the phone will utilise ‘ultrafast wireless’ technology LTE, making it capable of receiving data through 4G. It will also cope better in sunlight glare and run popular music software application Garage Band.
The iPhone 5 has five columns of icons rather than the current four found on the 4S, along with the usual scrolling list of four shortcuts along the bottom. It houses a 326ppi Retina display, measuring 4in.
Apple said: ‘By making the screen taller, not wider, iPhone 5 is just as easy to use with one hand so you can tap, type and scroll the same way you always have, while enjoying even more of your content including amazing apps optimised for the larger Retina display, widescreen HD video, a full five days of your Calendar and more of every web page.’
The taller screen will allow a better movie-viewing experience, with the video display now closer to a 16:9 ratio.
Other iPhone 5 features unveiled during the conference at the Yerba Buena Center for Arts include a panorama-ready 8 megapixel iSight camera with sapphire lens cover, increased battery life allowing for 8 hours of 3G or LTE talk time or browsing and 10 hours of WiFi browsing and enhanced audio.
A new FaceTime HD front facing camera will improve the clarity of video calls, self portraits and allow for recording video in 720p HD.
iPhone 5 also allows you to share photos with friends and family using iCloud’s Shared Photo Streams.
While the improved design specs impressed audiences around the world, anger was leveled at the new slimline connector.
This will render the cables used since 2003 obsolete, though Schiller assured the audience that a range of converters for old leads and docks will be released – albeit presumably at a cost.
The iPhone’s Maps application has also been given an overhaul, offering 3D views of cities that Schiller showed off by zooming in, out and around Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
As many fans had hoped, the device will run on an A6 chip, which senior vice president of hardware engineering Bob Mansfield said will see users ‘experience a big increase in speed in everything you use your iPhone for’.
A new iPod Touch was unveiled in tandem at the press conference which will be available in five colours – pink, yellow, blue, white & silver and black & slate – and features many of the functions available on the iPhone 5 including ‘intelligent assistant’ Siri, though iPod fans will be disappointed to hear there will be no 4G wireless.
iPhone 5 comes in either white & silver or black & slate and will be available from the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores, and through Everything Everywhere, Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone, 3 and select Apple Authorised Resellers.
Bought direct from Apple it will cost £529 for 16GB, £599 for 32GB and £699 for 64GB.View the story “Twitter reactions to iPhone 5” on Storify


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OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT, Boosting Investment Value
In a blog post dated September 25, OpenAI unveiled its new voice support feature for ChatGPT, describing it as an avenue for creativity and applications focusing on accessibility.
OpenAI Elevates ChatGPT’s Conversation Abilities, Surging Investment Value
OpenAI, a trailblazing artificial intelligence research lab, recently made a significant announcement that could reshape the landscape of conversational AI. The company unveiled a substantial upgrade to its chatbot, ChatGPT, enhancing its everyday capabilities. This development marks a significant stride in the competition for intelligent virtual assistants among tech giants.
OpenAI Latest Advancement in Voice Support for ChatGPT
This milestone represents a crucial step for OpenAI’s rivalry with tech behemoths like Google, Apple, and Amazon in intelligent virtual assistants. The upgraded ChatGPT is poised to take conversational AI to new heights, with implications far beyond casual chats.
OpenAI has been actively experimenting with voice and image features while implementing additional safeguards to ensure ChatGPT responds appropriately to sensitive topics. These advancements underline the company’s commitment to responsible AI development, addressing concerns related to misinformation and harmful content.
With the capability to respond to user queries using voice, OpenAI’s chatbot is undoubtedly causing concern for the titans of popular virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri. While these incumbents have dominated the market, ChatGPT’s rapid evolution demonstrates OpenAI’s determination to challenge the status quo.
Introduced late last year and becoming the fastest-growing user application in Internet history, ChatGPT has found applications in various tasks, from summarizing documents to writing computer code. Its versatility has attracted users across industries, from students seeking homework assistance to professionals automating repetitive tasks.
The “ChatGPT shockwave” has awakened tech giants, leading Microsoft to collaborate with OpenAI to leverage their technology. Google has also promptly announced its own chatbot, Bard, showcasing the urgency to compete in this evolving landscape. Meta Platforms, previously Facebook, plans to release its artificial intelligence chatbot, adding to the growing competition.
To date, OpenAI is believed to have raised around $14 billion, with $13 billion of that investment coming from Microsoft. SoftBank, a leading Japanese technology investment company, is the latest to invest in the company behind ChatGPT. These investments reflect the growing recognition of the potential of conversational AI.
The investment value of OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT, has surged nearly threefold compared to a year ago, reaching a range of $80-90 billion in discussions with potential investors.
Therefore, OpenAI, which owns ChatGPT, has seen its investment value nearly triple from last year. They’re now worth between $80-90 billion, according to talks with potential investors.
While OpenAI has not yet confirmed this information, it underscores the tremendous interest and confidence in the future of conversational AI.
AI as the Driving Force of Blockchain Innovation
OpenAI is making great strides in improving AI’s ability to understand and create language. This means the possibilities for ChatGPT and similar technologies are endless! The future looks bright for conversational AI. It points toward a world where friendly and trustworthy virtual assistants powered by AI will be part of our everyday lives.
The future looks bright for conversational AI. This means a world where reliable and talented virtual assistants are a routine part of daily life.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology can potentially revolutionize several industries. Blockchain is a secure and transparent database that is distributed across a network of computers, making it difficult to alter or manipulate data.
AI can be used to improve blockchain technology in several ways, including:
- Smart contracts: AI can enhance and streamline intelligent contracts. Smart contracts automatically do what they’re set up to do, and they’re kept on a system called a blockchain. And AI can enhance the security, efficiency, and user-friendliness of intelligent contracts.
- Consensus mechanisms: AI can help create better and faster ways to agree on blockchain details. Consensus mechanisms are methods to ensure everyone in a blockchain agrees on the ledger’s status. AI can help create agreement methods that are safer, can handle more, and use less energy.
- Fraud detection: AI-powered tools can be utilized to detect and prevent fraud in blockchain transactions. Fraud is a big issue in blockchain, and AI can help find and stop fraudulent transactions.
- Scalability: AI can be used to make blockchains more scalable. Blockchains need to handle more transactions, and AI can help find solutions to make this possible.
- Privacy: AI can be used to develop new privacy-enhancing technologies for blockchains. Privacy is a significant concern for many people, and AI can be used to create new technologies that will protect the privacy of blockchain users.
Success Case Studies
Several successful case studies demonstrate the potential of AI in blockchain technology. Here are a few examples:
- IBM and WFP use AI to make food aid distribution more efficient and transparent.
- Microsoft is using AI to improve the security of its Azure blockchain platform.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) uses AI to develop new blockchain scalability solutions.
- Google is using AI to develop new privacy-enhancing technologies for blockchains.
- EY is utilizing AI to develop a blockchain-based solution for seamless and transparent tracking of goods and materials.
- Accenture is using AI to develop a blockchain-based platform that can be used to improve the efficiency of healthcare supply chains.
- Deloitte is using AI to develop a blockchain-based platform that can be used to fight fraud in financial transactions.
- These are just a few examples of how AI is being used to improve blockchain technology. The transformative power of AI will continue to propel the development of innovative applications in blockchain, unlocking new possibilities and redefining the decentralized landscape.
- The future of AI in blockchain technology is bright. AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we use and interact with blockchains. The fusion of AI and blockchain will continue to unlock innovative applications, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the decentralized realm.
Here are a few of the future directions for AI in blockchain technology:
- We’ll be harnessing the power of AI to create smart contracts that are even more intelligent.
- We’ll use AI to create better and more efficient ways of reaching agreement.
- AI can analyze transaction patterns, behaviors, and other data points to identify fraudulent activities with high accuracy, enabling immediate action to mitigate losses.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be used to make blockchains more scalable and efficient.
- AI will be used to develop new privacy-enhancing technologies for blockchains.
- For more, AI has the potential to revolutionize the blockchain industry. The convergence of AI and blockchain presents a fertile ground for groundbreaking innovations that will shape the future of decentralized technologies.
- The potential of AI in blockchain technology is enormous. AI can be used to make blockchains more secure, more efficient, more scalable, and more user-friendly. AI also has the potential to develop new and innovative applications for blockchains. As AI technology matures, we can anticipate a surge in groundbreaking applications that will reshape the future of blockchain.


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Forenscope’s Unique & NEW Technologies were at Colombia!
Cutting-edge Technology Forenscope Devices were in Colombia!
We are proud to announce that Forenscope’s new technologies were presented in Chile.
ForenScope’s latest technology devices offer high power, high technology, and lightness together.
New unique Forenscope technologies will be with you soon.


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Shares in Cal-Comp Electronics Pcl jumped 5 percent to 3.78 baht, climbing at one point to 3.86 baht, on expectations the company would post strong earnings growth this year along with rising demand for consumer electronics.
Maybank Kim Eng Securities projected a 156.3 percent growth in net profit this year to 2.06 billion baht ($69.16 million). Maybank upgraded its rating on the electronics sector to ‘overweight’.
“The industry is now moving on an uptrend after increasing wages in China (that) has led many producers to move operational bases back to Thailand, which should be a main Asian hub in the future,” the broker said in a report.
Maybank said Cal-Comp was its top pick.
“We expect electronics demand to expand once again in 2013, driven by a recovering world economy with the advent of new technology,” it said. ($1 = 29.785 baht) 1155 (0455 GMT) (Reporting by Pairat Temphairojana in Bangkok; Editing by Anand Basu)


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Apple's Secretive Technology Development Group is working on both AR Glasses and an Advanced HMD with a Stunning Display
A few times this year I've mentioned that the sheer number of patents being published by the U.S. Patent Office regarding Apple's future Eyewear, smartglasses and an HMD, made it the number one project for 2020 thus far. At least 30 patents on Eyewear and accessories have been reported on Since January in addition to at least 6 granted patents. The depth and detail of Apple's Eyewear inventions plus the scope of the project seems to be epic in size covering everything from optical lenses to prescription lenses, to high-end displays to high-end audio to gaze controls to gesture recognition to accessories including finger devices and VR gloves and everything in between. Apple is building a solid IP foundation to legally protect their future Eyewear products that you could review here when you have the time.
Today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman provides us with an interesting grand overview of the Eyewear project at Apple. Gurman begins his report by noting that in late 2018, Apple Inc. was a few years into its plan to build a powerful headset with both virtual- and augmented-reality capabilities when things shifted dramatically.
The headset is to be the first major launch from the company since the Apple Watch and the debut device from the Technology Development Group (TDG), a secretive unit devoted to VR and AR. The TDG is led by an equally under-the-radar executive, Mike Rockwell.
Rockwell began building his team in late 2015 which eventually grew into a 1,000-strong group of engineers. They went to work primarily developing two products aimed at upending the VR and AR segments of the market.
The first device, code-named N301, is designed to take the best of both VR and AR to deliver an all-encompassing digital experience for gaming and consuming content.
Jony Ive, then the company’s design chief, objected to some fundamental aspects of the N301 and urged Executives to change course. Gurman notes that Apple's Tim Cook went along with Ive views on the matter.
The second device known as N421, is a lightweight pair of glasses using AR only and it's one of the most complex to develop. According to people familiar with the matter, Ive preferred the concept of the N421 glasses, which would keep users grounded in reality while beaming maps and messages into their field of vision.
The HMD-styled N301 was initially designed to be an ultra-powerful system, with graphics and processing speeds previously unheard of for a wearable product. The processing capabilities were so advanced—and produced so much heat—that the technology couldn’t be crammed into a sleek headset.
It was designed to feature ultra-high-resolution screens that will make it almost impossible for a user to differentiate the virtual world from the real one. A cinematic speaker system will make the experience even more realistic, people who have used prototypes say.
Prototypes of N301 look like a smaller Oculus Quest, Facebook Inc.’s VR headset, with a mostly fabric body but less plastic than the Quest. Apple’s engineering teams are still testing the device on different head shapes to find the ideal fit.
Gurman further notes that the N301 would have its own App Store, with a focus on gaming, and the ability to stream video content, while also serving as a sort of super-high-tech communications device for virtual meetings.
Lastly, although plans could change, in an all-hands meeting last fall, Rockwell said the first headset may be announced next year and released in 2022. Apple fans can expect the AR glasses by 2023 at the earliest. These are dates that fly in the face of some recent rumors, especially those from Jon Prosser. The graphic below is from Prosser's report.
The rest of the report is a story-like overview of the project, its executives, the differing visions for the project and more. Read more about this story here.


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In August2014, US president Barack Obama announced a renewed commitment to Power Africa, a private sector-led initiative aimed at doubling electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa, where an estimated 600 million people are without reliable access to power. Obama raised the bar, pledging to add 30 000MW of energy thereby trippling last year’s goal of 10 000MW. He also pledged US$300-million in grant assistance per year to expand Power Africa’s reach across the continent and to create new electricity connections for approximately 60 million households and businesses.
To ahieve sustainability of these connections installing prepaid meters will play a role in protecting the electricity suppliers’ revenues, enabling them to provide sustainable power in the long term. Prepayment meters are already having an impact in a number of countries including Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia, and the potential for growth is huge. In Nigeria alone, the prepaid electricity market is worth an estimated NGN150bn, with 50% of the market yet to receive prepaid meters.
While prepaid meters go halfway to solving the problem, making payment points widely available for people to purchase prepaid electricity vouchers is just as important. Unfortunately, it’s proving difficult in areas where retail is primarily informal, and where household incomes are so low that people can often only afford to purchase minimal units of electricity at a time.
In Zimbabwe for example, rolling out prepaid meters has been quite successful, with over 400,000 installed since August 2012. However, many Zimbabweans with meters are still without electricity because, in order to purchase prepaid vouchers, they must travel to banking halls that are not located in their communities.
In Africa, where people have high levels of mobile phone access compared to other basic services such as in Tanzania were over 60 per cent of the population use a mobile phone, but only 12 per cent have access to electricity. Utilising the mobile phone as a potential payment device could be the best way to distribute prepaid vouchers. It is important to consider however, that although mobile phones are growing, cash is still king in a lot of informal markets where many people are unbanked and lack access to internet connectivity and mobile banking.
A potential solution to Africa’s electricity payment challenge is to empower informal vendors such as taxi drivers, local shop owners and micro entrepreneurs to use mobile technology to buy prepaid electricity vouchers, which they can then sell for cash. This replicates the success of mobile airtime distribution and enables electricity providers to ensure that even unbanked, unconnected people in the remotest of areas can access and pay for electricity conveniently.


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Honda announces looming end of ZDX model production in
Honda Canada announced this morning that 2013 will be the final model
year for its Acura ZDX crossover vehicle built in Alliston.
of the line
2013 Acura ZDX crossover will be the final model year as Honda
announced it will discontinue its production in Alliston.
It will cease production in conjuction with the pending transfer of the
Acura MDX to its plant in Lincoln, Alabama early next year. Both brands
are currently built on the same platform.
The production change was mentioned in the same press release that
announced the 2013 ZDX will debut "several new features, including a
redesigned front grille, front and
rear parking sensors, power folding side mirrors and safety features
such as Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Lane Departure Warning
(LDW)." It will go on sale in Canada on Nov. 6, and carry a MSRP of
Acura ZDX crossover vehicle was introduced in 2009, but has not been a
big seller. in 2010, 3,259 ZDX's were sold in the U.S and in 2011 that
dropped to 1,564.
"We are refining the product lineup based on the Acura brand direction
with a focus on flagship and core models like the recently redesigned
RDX and the upcoming all-new RLX sedan," said Alexandre Roger,
assistant vice president, Acura Canada. "By continuing to provide the
ideal balance of performance, technology and fuel economy that is right
for each product, we will continue to advance the Acura lineup and
provide Canadians with a unique driving experience that is active and
There will be no impact to HCM's daily production volumes as the gaps
left by the loss of the two Acura brands will be filled by increased
production of Civic/CR-Vs.